Hy-Vee, GE and what not to vote for
July 16, 2014
UPDATE: Amendment results:

Amendment 1: Passes, 498,751 or 50,127% of vote

5: Passes, 602,076 or 50,970% of vote

7: Fails, 590,963 or 59,185% of vote

8: Fails, 538,575 or 55.016% of vote

9: Passes, 728,549 or 74,756% of vote

In retrospect, I'm wondering how many people erroneously thought they were helping family farmers? What a sham perpetrated on the voters. I feel sad for the environment.

Based on the results passage of the farm amendment may have been part of the "hey, you can't take away my rights" wave" probably supported by a younger generation of voters. Hence, the passage of the right to keep and bear arms and securing electronic transmission.

Thank you at least to those telling MoDot to finance their projects by a means other than raising the sales tax.

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Joni D. from Hy-Vee Delivery Service was just at my door. Some times companies go all out to please the customer and this was a time when it was least expected.

Prices being what they are, I was a bit upset when I found that three items were not edible that I had just bought. Actually, who's to know what's inside a melon or the avocado that I had selected. Generally, that is a case of win some, lose some. It was an afterthought to include them when I called the 800-number on the bag of French bread that became hard as a rock in less than 24-hours. The bag had said, "Satisfaction guaranteed," and the customer service representative to whom I spoke very cheerfully offered to mail me a voucher for another bread. As for the other two items, I was told to take my receipt next time I was at the store and ask for a refund.

What surprised me was the phone call I got a hour or so later. Generally, I don't answer numbers that I don't recognize, but this time I did. It was a Hy-Vee manager phoning, presumably one from the store on Battlefield Road in Springfield where I had shopped. He was very apologetic and offered either a gift card or delivery of the items.

"We bring good things to life," or so GE said between 1979 and 2003

This brings to mind my experience with GE that took a bit more effort on my part and reaching the right person on the totem pole in order to get satisfaction. Oh no, one day I noticed that the handle on my GE Cafe microwave that is installed above my GE Cafe range was peeling. Apparently, the plastic coating over metal that was used was affected by the heat from the burner below. To increase my aggravation I did a search on the product and found that I wasn't the only one with the peeling handle and in spite of GE's promise to make their customers happy, nobody without a warranty seemed to be getting GE to do anything.

Well, I found out online that they had done something. They decided not to make that particular model anymore. I also discovered that their replacement handles now were coated with a different material. I had them on knowing that they had made a defective product.

Everyone must know that contacting a company as large as GE requires a lot of time and a lot of patience. With a little bit of luck one speaks to someone intelligible without getting disconnected and without going a muddled route by way of India.

I barked over their solution of sending me another handle because I was told I had to get a professional to install it. (Cook's appliance wanted almost $200 for the service call.) I was all set to write one of my famous certified mail letters to company CEO Jeffrey R. Immelt even though reading that his major stockholders were encouraging him to cut expenses when I was contacted by a how-are-you-today-asking person from the company informing me (after I had made known that I wasn't going to take no for an answer) that they were providing me with a new door and that they would pay to have it installed.

Unfortunately, that Internet search also revealed that in less than three years of ownership of the GE Cafe microwave that the touchpad would stop working. I told them I hoped not to have to contact them again, but to expect my call.

A pleasant weekend

Little did I know when I bought a ticket that the Southwest Missouri Water Garden Association's 2014 Water Garden Tour would be its last. When people create something exceptional they generally like to show it off. Thirteen residential pond owners in the Springfield area were no exception. Besides sharing things of exceptional craftsmanship and beauty, the hosts, many Master Gardeners, were fun to meet.

Primary Day is August 5

Regarding a selection of candidates, I have to admit that I am clueless. No one came to my door asking for my vote. And meeting candidates at the two local business expos didn't make the choices any easier. So, I am hoping that other registered voters will pick the best candidates.

As for the questions on the ballot I do have opinions.

Joplin voters also have to vote on Proposition A, Shall the City of Joplin, Missouri, extend a sales tax of three-eighths (3/8ths) of one percent (1%) for a period of ten (10) years for the purpose of funding capital improvements? Do you or do you know think Joplin has enough money socked away for just about anything?

And voters in the Neosho R-V School District of Newton County have to decide whether they want to increase the debt service levy $.024 (from $0.36 to $0.60 per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property) in order to float bonds for acquiring property and constructing a new junior high school next to Carver Elementary School on Kodiak Road. Yikes, Newton County residents are not used to digging into their pockets. Crowder College's policy of holding the line on asking for more money has spoiled them. But I bet a new junior high is sorely needed.

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